A dramatic glider accident cost, this Thursday in Savoie, the life of its pilot and its passenger, a child of about ten years.
The toll of this crash could have been even heavier because the aircraft crashed on the edge of the A430 Albertville - Chambéry motorway, precisely between the access ramp to the Saint-Hélène-sur-Isère tollbooth.
This highway is used daily by thousands of vehicles.
This motorized glider had left from the neighboring aerodrome of Tournon - Albertville, located a few hundred meters away, and it was just after takeoff that it crashed, around 1:15 p.m., in the town of Frontenex.
"A few meters away, he could have crashed into cars"
Jean-Marie, who lives right next to the scene of the tragedy, witnessed the accident: “I saw the glider pass over my house and its engine suddenly stopped.
He veered to the right, dived and crashed really at the side of the highway.
The crash was impressive.
There was a big boom.
I rushed to the freeway to stop traffic.
Within a few meters, the glider could have crashed into cars.
One of its wings also protrudes on the right lane of the highway.
There could have been quite a carnage.
It was limited, ”says this witness.
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The highway was quickly closed to allow the intervention of the emergency services.
Twenty firefighters, the Albertville SMUR and the Dragon 73 civil security helicopter quickly arrived on site.
But there was unfortunately nothing more to do for the two victims whose bodies were deposited in a tent erected on the spot by the rescuers.
The glider's tail was broken and the cockpit partly crushed during the impact.
A kerosene patch had to be cleaned before the freeway reopened.
The investigation was entrusted to the Chambéry air transport gendarmerie brigade (BGTA) and the Savoie departmental road safety squadron (EDSR 73).